Job offer
RequirementRequired
A qualifying offer is needed for this route.
Is this for you?
- Gross annual pay of at least €59,373 — one and a half times the reference average gross annual salary.
- A diploma covering at least three years of higher education, OR five years of professional experience at a comparable level relevant to the sector.
- An employment contract of at least six months.
- Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationality.
- Valid passport and clean criminal record.
Not for you if
- Salary below the €59,373 threshold — there is no discounted rate and no age concession.
- Contract shorter than six months.
- Neither a three-year higher education qualification nor five years of comparable experience.
Not a match? Other routes in France
Program overview
Overview
Advising Indian professionals on skilled migration since 2009, from our Koramangala office in Bangalore.
Overview
The EU Blue Card — carte de séjour "talent — carte bleue européenne" — is France's permit for senior salaried professionals. It asks for a contract of at least six months paying at least €59,373 gross per year, plus either a diploma covering three years of higher education or five years of professional experience at a comparable level.
What the card is worth
| France EU Blue Card | |
|---|---|
| Salary floor | €59,373 gross per year |
| Qualification | 3-year degree, or 5 years' comparable experience |
| Minimum contract | 6 months |
| Card length | Contract length, capped at 4 years |
| Short contract | Contract + 3 months, capped at 2 years |
| Family | Talent-famille, no reunification procedure |
| EU mobility | After 1 year on a Blue Card elsewhere |
| French required | Not for the card; B2 at naturalisation |
| Prefecture fees | €350 (€300 tax + €50 stamp duty) |
The threshold is the real test
At €59,373 this is a senior permit, and there is no younger-applicant discount of the kind some EU states operate. If an offer sits below the floor, the Blue Card is closed and the question becomes whether another talent route fits — the innovative-company salaried route, for instance, sets its floor at €39,582 where the employer is a jeune entreprise innovante or a company the economy ministry has recognised as innovative.
That is the sort of substitution worth checking before an offer is negotiated rather than after it is signed.
Fees and decision time
The prefecture charges €350 when the card is issued: a €300 residence card tax plus €50 stamp duty (droit de timbre). If the prefecture has not answered within 90 days, the silence counts as an implicit refusal; the period is 30 days if you already hold a Blue Card in another EU member state.
Family and citizenship
A spouse and minor children receive talent-famille cards through the accompanying-family route, without the ordinary family reunification procedure. Time on the card counts towards the five years of residence required for naturalisation, which also requires French at B2, a civics exam and stable, sufficient income. India does not permit dual citizenship: acquiring French citizenship would end Indian citizenship under Section 9(1) of the Citizenship Act 1955. French residence does not.
Talk to our France visa consultants in Bangalore
XIPHIAS Immigration has advised Indian families and businesses since 2009, from our office in Koramangala, Bangalore. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Bangalore will take you through the requirements, costs and timeline for your specific case.
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Why work with us
A private-client approach to second citizenship: transparent costs, rigorous compliance, and execution without friction.
- Dedicated due-diligence desk and source-of-funds guidance.
- Government-approved project vetting and exit planning.
- End-to-end execution: strategy, documentation, submission, oath & passports.
- Confidential handling and white-glove concierge for families.
- Licensed local agents
- KYC/AML workflows
- Transparent fee schedule
Eligibility
- Gross annual pay of at least €59,373 — one and a half times the reference average gross annual salary.
- A diploma covering at least three years of higher education, OR five years of professional experience at a comparable level relevant to the sector.
- An employment contract of at least six months.
- Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationality.
- Valid passport and clean criminal record.
Key benefits
- Card issued for the length of the contract, up to four years.
- Spouse and minor children receive talent-famille cards without family reunification.
- Right to work and reside in France, with visa-free travel in the Schengen area.
- Portable within the EU after a year on a Blue Card in another member state.
- Counts towards the five years of residence required for naturalisation.
- Access to French public healthcare and education as a legal resident.
Who this program is NOT for
- Salary below the €59,373 threshold — there is no discounted rate and no age concession.
- Contract shorter than six months.
- Neither a three-year higher education qualification nor five years of comparable experience.
- Serious criminal convictions.
Not a match? Explore other programs in France.
Government fees
Total (EUR): €350
- Residence card tax and stamp duty
—
€350
Application process
Process
How it works
Step 1: Secure a qualifying offer
The contract must run at least six months and pay at least €59,373 gross per year.
GuidedStep 2: Document the qualification
Present a three-year higher education diploma, or evidence five years of comparable professional experience.
GuidedStep 3: Employer files work authorisation
The French employer obtains authorisation before the consular stage.
GuidedStep 4: Apply for the long-stay visa
File at the French consulate covering your place of residence.
GuidedStep 5: Prefecture appointment
Give biometrics, pay the tax and stamp duty, and collect the talent card.
GuidedStep 6: Bring the family
Apply for talent-famille cards for a spouse and minor children.
Guided
Checklist
Document checklist
11 total items
Documents vary by profile; we’ll tailor your list.
Identity Documents3 items
Identity Documents
3 items- Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity
- Passport photographs to French specification
- Civil status documents for accompanying family
Employment3 items
Employment
3 items- Signed employment contract of at least six months
- Evidence that gross annual pay meets or exceeds €59,373
- Employer work authorisation
Qualification or Experience3 items
Qualification or Experience
3 items- Diploma covering at least three years of higher education, with equivalence where available
- Or evidence of five years of professional experience at a comparable level
- CV and employment references
Health and Compliance2 items
Health and Compliance
2 items- Health cover from the start of the contract
- Criminal record certificate
Frequently asked questions
€59,373 gross per year, set at one and a half times the reference average gross annual salary. It is indexed, so confirm the figure applying on the day the contract is signed rather than relying on last year's number.
Yes. Five years of professional experience at a level comparable to a higher-education degree, relevant to the sector or profession, is accepted. For professions on a list set by ministerial order the requirement is three years acquired within the previous seven.
A contract of two years or more gives a card matching the contract, capped at four years. A contract under two years gives the contract plus three months, capped at two years.
Yes, after at least one year holding that card. The French application must be filed within one month of entering France. From the second mobility onwards the qualifying period falls to six months.
Silence for 90 days is treated as an implicit refusal — 30 days if you already hold a Blue Card in another member state. That matters for planning an appeal, so diary the date.
It counts towards the five years of residence. Naturalisation additionally requires French at B2 — in force since 1 January 2026 — a civics exam of 40 questions with a pass mark of 32, and stable sufficient income.
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